Vintage Venues: Wis. Rapids building first was brewery

In celebration of south Wood County’s rich history, Vintage Venues — a Daily Tribune weekly feature — puts the spotlight on the past and the story behind some of the most historically significant local sites.

Grand Rapids Brewing Company/Sampson Canning, 1251 First St. N.

Built: Mid-1880s

History: The building at 1251 First St. N, on the corner of First and Oliver Streets in what was Grand Rapids, and now the east side of Wisconsin Rapids, has been home to three known businesses for more than 130 years.

Jacob and David Lutz bought the building in 1880 to brew beer, and it was known locally at Lutz Brewery. There was a fire there in 1891, and it was rebuilt. David also operated a cigar factory in the old courthouse building next door.

In 1904, the business was reorganized as the Grand Rapids Brewing Company. The brewery had a brewing capacity that was not equaled by many cities of double the population. The plant had the latest improved machinery of its time and only the choicest hops and malt were used, according to available history on the company. The brewery went bankrupt in 1922 after prohibition went into law.

Henry Sampson Sr. bought the building in the early 1920s and operated the Sampson Canning Company there with his son, Henry Junior. The Sampson family was among the early settlers in the area. Ahira Sampson, Henry’s father, arrived in 1877. He worked as a carpenter and later became active in business and politics.

Originally named the Grand Rapids Canning Company, it later was changed to the Sampson Canning Company. They canned local produce including beans, peas and beets. The company was just west of the railroad roundhouse on First Street North and the company was noted for its affiliation with the Green Bay & Western Railroad.

In 1929, the GB&W subsidiary, Western Refrigerator Lines, added a fleet of wood-sided refrigerator cars to its roster. Fifty of the cars carried Sampson Canning Company billboard lettering. The billboard era ended in July 1934 when the Interstate Commerce Commission ruled that cars could no longer be painted with the lessee’s name any larger than 12 inches.

Interesting fact: Northern Steel Castings owns the building and uses it for their finishing plant. They bought it in 1985 and use the address of 80 Oliver Street. There was a fire in the building in 2003 and it was rebuilt. Today the building is a credit to the neighborhood.